This final ChI sermon is dedicated to my family. I wrote this sermon with 2 intentions: sharing it today with all of you AND sharing parts of it with my family when we are together over the holidays I would love for them to gain, through the interfaith lens, even just a little glimpse of new spiritual awareness.

The process of becoming an Interfaith Minister is not an easy one – there’s a whole lot of growing and stretching and letting go. For me, learning about the traditions and the sacred texts of the world’s religions has cracked wide open my Christian cocoon. It has been both amazingly enlightening and, at times, daunting.

AM I READY? How will I serve the spiritual needs of others? How might I integrate the Vedas and the Upanishads? Could I really be the voice of the Divine? Will my ministry include the Torah, the Qur’an, and the Guru Granth Sahib?

Not too long ago, I got the ole sacred nudge that reminded me of something I have known all along. Something that truly is inter-intra-and multi-faith. Something that I have taught about a thousand times in the classroom and in raising my children. That something is the The Golden Rule.

The good ole days...

Interfaith and the Golden Rule

Each of the major world religions values some version of The Golden Rule. In these next several slides I would like to share with you this point of agreement. I invite you to open your heart and consider that our world is in need of a greater awareness of this common standard for all. We are a human family!

Christianity

In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets ~Jesus, Matthew 7:12

Unitarianism

We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are all a part. ~Unitarian principle

Native Spirituality

We are as much alive as we keep the earth alive. ~ Chief Dan George

Buddhism

Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful ~ The Buddha, Udana-Varga 5:18

Islam

Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself. ~The Prophet Muhammad, Hadith

Sikhism

I am a stranger to no one; and no one is a stranger to me. Indeed I am a friend to all. ~ Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1299

Judaism

What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor.This is the whole Torah; All the rest is commentary~ Hillel, Talmud, Shabbat 31a

Hinduism

This is the sum of duty: Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.

~ Mahabharata 5:15:17

The Golden Rule is a tremendous tool for promoting social justice, teaching compassion and ethics, and for putting a certain interfaith seminarian at ease.

The remaining slides are a collection of images, poems and prayers that I have found to be particularly meaningful in opening my interfaith heart to the work of the Divine!

Thank you, God of everything,for the morning,

when I wake again to you.

-Morning Affirmation

Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

-John 16:24

The flute of the Infinite is played without ceasing, and its sound is love.

-Kabir

Feeding the birdsis also a form of prayer...

- Pope Pius XII

Turn, trust God, fling from thee all that is less.

-Guru Nanak

By day the sun shines,by night shines the moon.

But the Buddha shines by day and night:In the brightness of his glory

shines the man who is awake.From the DHAMMAPADA

“This is now. Now is all there is. Don’t wait for then; strike the spark, light the fire.”

-Rumi

There is a Light that shines beyond all things on earth,beyond us all, beyond the heavens,

beyond the highest, the very highest heavens.This is the Light that shines in our heart.

from the Chandogya Upanishad

May the Lord bless you and protect you.May the Lord show you kindness and be gracious to you.May the Lord bestow favor upon you and grant you

peace.-Hebrew Blessing

With love and thanks to everyone at The Chaplaincy Institute!

Amen!